Garden club reports pansy theft

CRESTVIEW — One club's efforts to provide a garden park and decorations in the city are apparently appreciated — to the point of thievery.

The Dogwood Garden Club maintains Garden Park, an area near the intersection of Ferdon Boulevard and Main Street in Crestview. The site contains a Blue Star monument at its south end, benches and tables, and plants that members seasonally replace.

"This year, evidently, the pots of plants are so irresistible that someone felt it necessary to take one (pansies). Pot and all," club member Thea Duhaime stated in an email to the News Bulletin.

The club paid about $35 for fall-season plants, and planted them — still in their pots to deter weed growth — at the park. "The cost of all our projects comes out of our treasury," Duhaime said.

The flower theft is just one example of alleged mischief.

In the fall, club members found destroyed and overturned concrete benches and someone allegedly broke a pipe used for the fountain and ground watering.

Due to the vandalism, the city turned off water and electricity to the fountain and other pipes, so Duhaime and other garden club members now have to bring gallons of water with them during maintenance sessions.

"It's so disheartening," Duhaime said of the damage. "It is too bad that we can't have nice things in Crestview."

There is some good news: One of the park’s regular visitors spoke to Duhaime Feb. 22 and volunteered to paint the tables.

In addition, Crestview Department of Public Services employees assist the club's members with occasional heavy lifting, such as righting overturned benches after vandals struck last year.

"They helped us with trimming plants … sandblasted paint from the tables originally used at the park, heavy lifting for tree removal and the like," Duhaime said. "If it's heavier than what a group of older women can do, they do it for us. They’ve been great and we're so grateful that they're there."

While there hasn't been excessive local vandalism, Crestview Police Department Sgt. Ray Harp said the best way to deter criminal activity is for area residents to alert the CPD.

"Just call it in if you see any suspicious activity going on. That way we can check it out," he said.

The CPD dispatch phone number is 682-2055.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Garden club reports pansy theft